The Omicron Lineages BA.1 and BA.2 ( SARS-CoV-2) Have Repeatedly Entered Brazil through a Single Dispersal Hub.

Brazil currently ranks second in absolute deaths by COVID-19, even though most of its population has completed the vaccination protocol. With the introduction of Omicron in late 2021, the number of COVID-19 cases soared once again in the country. We investigated in this work how lineages BA.

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Spike gene by sanger sequencing.

The SARS-CoV-2 responsible for the ongoing COVID pandemic reveals particular evolutionary dynamics and an extensive polymorphism, mainly in Spike gene. Monitoring the S gene mutations is crucial for successful controlling measures and detecting variants that can evade vaccine immunity. Even after the costs reduction resulting from the pandemic, the new generation sequencing methodologies remain unavailable to a large number of scientific groups.

Turnover of SARS-CoV-2 Lineages Shaped the Pandemic and Enabled the Emergence of New Variants in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In the present study, we provide a retrospective genomic epidemiology analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We gathered publicly available data from GISAID and sequenced 1927 new genomes sampled periodically from March 2021 to June 2021 from 91 out of the 92 cities of the state. Our results showed that the pandemic was characterized by three different phases driven by a successive replacement of lineages.

Impact assessment and investigation of factors associated with herpesviruses viremia in the first year of renal transplantation.

The increased risk for opportunistic infections after a renal transplant requires monitoring of viral infections to avoid future complications. Our goal was to investigate the impact and factors associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human herpesvirus type 6 (HHV-6) viremia in renal transplant recipients. Whole blood samples were collected monthly from 82 patients during the first semester and then quarterly up to 1 year after transplantation.

A globally applicable PCR-based detection and discrimination of BK and JC polyomaviruses.

BKV and JCV belong to the Polyomaviridae family and are opportunistic agents associated with complications in immunocompromised individuals. Although a single screening assay for both viruses would be convenient, the diversity of BKV and JCV serotypes and genotypes is a methodological challenge. In this paper, we developed a PCR method able to detect and segregate BKV and JCV, despite these genetic discrepancies.

Refractory pemphigus foliaceus associated with herpesvirus infection: case report.

Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is an autoimmune disease characterized by blistering of the skin. Infections caused by members of the herpesviridae family have been suggested as a possible triggering factor for pemphigus vulgaris (PV), but not for PF. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of Human herpesvirus (types 1, 2, 3) in corticosteroid refractory skin lesions from a patient with PF, by a Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay.

Adenovirus species C detection in children under four years of age with acute bronchiolitis or recurrent wheezing.

Background: Lower respiratory tract viral infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Among viral etiological agents the human Adenovirus (AdV) has been associated to mild or severe respiratory tract infection.

Objective: To detect the presence of human Adenovirus (AdV) in children with acute bronchiolitis or recurrent wheezing, describing their clinical features and determining Adenovirus species and AdV association to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Human Metapneumovirus (MPV) and Parainfluenza virus (PIV).